March Against Violence in St. Stephen

Women are kicking violence, by hitting the pavement.

Marching tomorrow night from the border crossing to Town Square, the Abuse Prevention Network and residents of St. Stephen, are doing a first for Charlotte County.

"Take Back the Night" is a national event, that raises awareness of violence, specifically against women.

The march begins at the Ferry Point Bridge at 7pm.

Big Bike cycles through St. Stephen

30 people riding one bike is a sight to see!

The Heart and Stroke Foundation Big Bike Ride cycled in St. Stephen yesterday afternoon.

Various businesses took their turns to raise money for Heart and Stroke.

Many people could be heard honking their horns in support for the happily waving teams.

McAdam Park to receive grant

The McAdam Detachment of the District 2 RCMP and the community of McAdam have been chosen to receive a $2,500 RCMP Foundation grant for their P.L.A.Y. (Promoting Leadership Action for Youth) project.

The initiative has involved local youth, community groups, clergy members, the McAdam Lions Club, McAdam High School, municipal and elected officials, as well as members of the District 2 RCMP.

The skateboard park was built earlier this year. The funds from the RCMP Foundation will go towards the addition of lighting, benches, signs and other equipment.

A cheque presentation was made on September 14, 2011, at the skate park, adjacent to the McAdam High School.

The RCMP Foundation was created in 1994 to support community initiatives in which local RCMP members are involved. The members volunteer their time, expertise, and energy to help make a difference in their community and the lives of youth. To date, the foundation has provided nearly $3 million to more than 500 community initiatives in support of youth at risk.

Red Cross looking for volunteers

The Canadian Red Cross is recruiting new volunteers in St. George and St. Stephen to join its local disaster response team.
The Red Cross will be holding public information sessions at the Family Worship Centre in St. George on Thursday, September 22 at 7 p.m. and at the Sobeys community room in St. Stephen on Monday, September 26 at 7 p.m.
Or contact the Red Cross at redcross.ca.

No Free Flu Shot

The New Brunswick government is considering the elimination of free flu shots for certain high risk groups as part of ongoing departmental cutbacks.
The Health Department says the groups include people with chronic illness, pregnant women, close contacts of those individuals and parents with children under the age of six.
The province also wants to eliminate payment for non-surgical treatment of skin lesions.
A spokeswoman says delisting the two items could save the province about one (m) million dollars a year.

Gas Prices drop a bit

A slight change with gas prices around town after the weekly setting......Self serve regular declining by just over a cent a litre to 127.3.
Diesel remains virtually unchanged at 130.3 a litre while propane and heating oil are still over 114 a litre.

Salmon Farm Tours This Sunday

The Atlantic Canada Fish Farmers Association is hosting free guided tours of salmon farms this Sunday on Passamaquoddy Bay.

It's part of the Province's Open Farm Day 2011 and boat tours will leave at 2:30 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. from the Back Bay Wharf.
Pamela Parker of the Atlantic Canada Fish Farmers Association says the response has been very positive over the last few years.
Barbecued salmon will be served and industry representatives can answer questions about the salmon aquaculture industry.  Parker says few people realize that more than 50 per cent of the seafood we eat comes from farms. You must reserve a space by Thursday at noon.  To get a spot, call 755-3526 or email info@atlanticfishfarmers.com

Bell Aliant takes on MPBN

Bell Aliant subscribers in Atlantic Canada will be able to watch MPBN -- which is the PBS affiliate in Maine -- starting tomorrow.

Replacing WGBH out of Boston, the cable company has decided to move with the Maine Public Broadcasting Network because of the close cultural, historic, and economic ties it has with the Maritimes.

Coming in on channel 408 for high-def and channel 8 for standard.

Larry the Cable Guy coming to Harbour Station

Git-R-Done!

Get ready for some blue collar, red-neck humor because Larry the Cable Guy is coming to Saint John, November 2nd.

Known for his unique outlook on life and  backwoods observations, Larry sells out shows all over North America.

Tickets go on sale at Harbour Station this Friday at 10am.

Detour in St. Stephen

Be prepared for a possible detour on your commute this morning.
The Town of St. Stephen wishes to inform motorists..... that the section of Riverside Drive ....west of Milltown Boulevard.... will be closed starting this moring.

From today till the end of the month, September 30, there will be no thru traffic to allow for infrastructure upgrades.

St. George Gives Back!

Because so many communities from across the country came together to help Charlotte County during the December flooding, St. George has decided to pay it forward.

"St. George Gives Back" is a fundraiser being held this Saturday, to raise funds for Manitoba flood victims in their time of need.

The concert, featuring local talent, will be held at the Magaguadavic Place from 6-9pm.

Construction in St. Stephen

Summer isn't over until the detour signs are down.

The Town of St. Stephen wishes to inform motorists that the section of Riverside Drive (west of Milltown Boulevard) will be closed starting next week.

From Monday, September 12 until Friday, September 30, there will be no through traffic, to allow for infrastructure upgrades.  

Could the measles virus be key in the fight against cancer?

The Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation is reporting a promising new development has been discovered in Atlantic Canada at Dalhousie Medical School.

A study done by Researcher Dr. Christopher Richardson indicates cancer cells are vulnerable to the measles virus.

This could mean the measles virus might be used successfully to eradicate cancer tumours and, in the long-term, a vaccine could potentially be developed to treat cancer patients.

Local Firefighter Going Airborne

It's a bird, it's a plane... no, it's our local Fire Department.

The St. Stephen Fire Department's Annual Bucket Sit kicks off this weekend at the Atlantic Superstore... with firefighter Merton Lewis spending 50 hours in a bucket truck, 50 feet in the air.

The fundraiser is to raise money for specialized rescue equipment.

With supporters purchasing each rung of Merton's escape ladder for $50.

Lewis hits the clouds today at 4pm.

American Man Facing Jail Time After Crossing Border With Child Pornography

Authorities say an American man who tried to enter this province with more than 75-thousand images of child pornography has been sentenced to 22 months in jail. The Canada Border Services Agency says Darrin Whittaker of Minnesota pleaded guilty yesterday to possession of child porn and smuggling prohibited goods. Agency investigator Mike Walker says most of the still images and videos of children were found on computer external hard drives.

Walker says the victims range in age from toddlers to teens. He says he could never reveal what he saw in the images as it's quite disturbing.
The 40-year-old Whittaker arrived at the border crossing in Belleville, New Brunswick from Maine on June 16th. The agency found two laptops and 11 of the hard drives in his vehicle.

Team Suspended After Hazing Incident

St. Thomas University suspending the men's volleyball team for the rest of the school year following the death of a team member.
The move comes after the team took part in a hazing attended by Andrew Bartlett, who was found dead in October in Fredericton.


The 21-year-old Bartlett who was born in Saint John had gone to a party with teammates.
Police say criminal activity did not lead to his death, but alcohol played a part in an accidental fall that killed him.

Anti-Bullying Crusader Pleased At The Province's Efforts

A Fredericton anti-bullying activist is pleased the Premier and Education minister will be forming at committee to examine to problem.

Rob Frenette, co-founder of the website Bullying Canada.ca, tells CHSJ News he believes it's essential that parents are part of this process.

He says parents, teachers, students, Department of Education staff and community groups will be included on the committee among others.
Frenette adds the mandate will be to draft legislation and he believes the previous legislation the Government drafted while in opposition will just be ammended.


To see a report on the Bullying summit, click here

Power Outages

N-B Power crews are slowly making progress on restoring power to a large number of customers across the province.


At last report - just over 11 hundred people were off the grid thanks to high winds - heavy rain - and in some cases - heavy wet snow.

Over half of those affected are here in the St. Stephen area.


Click the link for a video of the storm in St. Stephen.
http://youtu.be/nkhoz978zlE

Another Phone Scam Involving Credit Cards

As we head into the busy holiday season -- Saint John city police are advising to be careful about the latest phone scam making the rounds.

Police say a number of city residents have fallen prey to a caller with generic information about the credit card and asking a series of questions to verify the card holder.
Another twist on this scam is the caller indicating they are investigating a fraudulent purchase on the credit card account and will ask for the three digit verification number on the back of the card.
Again -- police are warning not to give out any information over the phone unless you make the call and you know you are dealing with a reputable company.

Report Shows Wait Times Growing

If you're waiting for elective surgery - this may come as no surprise -- our province has the second highest wait times for elective surgery in the country -- 33.6-weeks.

The report from the Fraser Institute pegs Prince Edward Island with the longest waiting period at 44.4-weeks while the shortest wait times are in Ontario at 14-weeks.
A spokesman for the Institute says governments should try new health care policies including cost sharing and private health care instead of just throwing more money at the system.